Mold for concrete blocks.



No. 737,032. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

F. A. SIGKLESTEEL & C. W. BALLARD.

' MOLD FOR CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 3.1903.

R0 MODEL.

- INQENTOR f v n1: Ncnms PETERS c0. pwo'rouma. WASHINGTON. ay

UNITE STATES- 1 atented'August 25, 1903 PATENT ()FFICE.

FRANK ABRAM SICKLESTEEL AND CHARLES WESLEY BALLARD, OF NORTHBRANOH, MIOHIGAN.

MOLD FOR CONCRETE BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 737,032, dated August-.25, 1903.

I Application filed June 1908. Serial No. 159,932. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK ABRAM SIO- KLESTEEL and CHARLES WESLEY BALLARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Northbranch, in the county of Lapeer and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Molds for Concrete Blocks; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is'a mold for making cement blocks; and the improvements consist in certain constructions and combinations of parts whereby we produce a-mold that is simple, compact, and that operates without the use of bolts or screws.

The invention further embodies an improved combined bed-plate and strippingplate, together forming a guide or gage to assist in withdrawing the cores without marring the soft cement blocks. 7

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, broken away in parts, showing a mold with the combined base-plate and stripping-platedetached. Fig.

2 is a perspective detail of one of the removable inner walls of the mold.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the mold consists in an outer rectangular frame 1, having neither top nor bottom. Theinnerface of the frame isbeveled downwardly, so that the upper edge of each side member is narrower than the lower edge. Four separable side pieces 2, 2 2, and 2 are provided having vertical inner faces and beveled outside faces to fit thebeveloftheframe 1. Thesefoursidepieces when in place interlock within the frame 1 and form the inner frame, within which the cement is packed. lVe -prefer to construct the side members as shown in Fig. 2, casting them from iron or other suitable material, providing each piece with a number of downwardly-projecting beveled wings 2. This construction not only enables the side-pieces to be made lighter, but also prevents liability of their binding in the frame 1 on account of small pieces of dirt or gravel becomingwedged .49 projectinto the mold.

between the faces of the frame 1 and the side members.

The stripping-plate 3 is provided with 'suitable openings 3", through which cores 4: and v In the outer face of thestripping-plate 3 are formed mortised channels 3 and 3 to receive the cross-bars 4L and 4, carrying the cores 4*? and P. When in place, themortised strippin'g plate andcross -bars form a .flush surface upon which the mold rests, and when the cores are being withdrawn the mortises 3 serve as gages to en able the workmen to see at a glance whether the cross-bars i at are kept properly-in line, and thus avoid liability of injuring the block by improperly withdrawing the corea difficulty frequently met with where the cores are fastened to a base-plate of large area, because such a base-plate prevents the workman from seeing the core while it is being withdrawn.

Our construction enables each core to be withdrawn independent of the others, so that an accident in withdrawing one will not affect the remainder;

The operation of the mold is as follows: The outer frame is first set on the strippingplate 3, the cores being in place. The side pieces2, 2, 2 and .2 are dropped into position so they fit snugly inside the outer frame. The mold is then filled with concrete and rammed,after which the top is struck off level. The mold is next inverted and the crosspieces 4 and 4: are lifted up separately, as above described,bringing the cores with them. The cores strip themselves as they are drawn up through the openings 3 in the strippingplate 3. The removable bottom is next taken off, and the outer frame 1 is lifted up. This is' easily done by reason of its beveled or wedge-shaped inside faces. The separable sides 2, 2, 2 and 2 are left standing around the finished block and may be removed one by one.

The arrangement of parts is such that no lateral jar or strain is apt to be brought upon the soft block while the mold is being removed, and consequently a more uniform product is obtained than is possible when molds depending upon screws or clamps for their holding action are employed.

WVhat We claim as our invention, and desire tending beveled flanges carried by said side to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: members and adapted to register With the In a mold for cement blocks the coinbinadownwardly-beveled faces of the frame. tion with the frame having downwardly-bev- In testimony whereof We aifiX our signa- I5 5 eled inner faces; of a stripping-plate having tures in presence of two Witnesses.

oore-openings and provided with inortises in FRANK ABRAM SICKLESTEEL its outer face in line with said core-openings;

cross-bars removably seated in said Inortises; CHARLES TESLEY BALLARD' cores fixed to said cross-bars and projecting \Vitnesses: IO into the mold through said core-openings; XV. MAHON,

separable side members; and laterallyex- MARY E. LANGDON. 

